The next day was Sunday. George jumped out of bed with the dawn. He
whistled and sang scraps of songs as he took his bath. The sun shone.
What a full, happy world it was, anyhow! And he had given up the game
last night? Why, life was just beginning for him! He was nothing but
a boy--not yet thirty. He would make a big success soon, and then try
to win--to win---- He stopped, breathless, looking into the distance,
and his eyes slowly grew wet with passion and longing.
He left the house and struck across the country through the woodland
and farms. He did not know why he went--he had to go. When he reached
the Dunbar woods, he stood in the thicket for hours, watching the
house. She came out at last and sat down on the steps to play with the
dog. Last night in her white, delicate beauty she had not seemed
real--she was far off, like an angel coming down into his depths of
misery.
But to-day she sat on the steps in her pretty blue gown, and laughed
and rolled Tramp over, and sung snatches of songs, and was nothing but
a foolish girl. For so many years he had been thinking of work and
money-making and bosses. All of that mean drudgery fell out of sight
now. He was a man, young, alone, on fire with hope and passion. His
share of life had been mean and pinched; yonder was youth and gladness
and tranquillity. The world was empty, save for themselves. He was
here, and there was the one woman in it--the one woman.
He looked at his tanned, rough fingers. Last night she had folded them
in her two soft little hands, and drawn him on--on into home!
He would go up to her now and tell her----
George pushed aside the bushes, but at that moment Lucy rose and went
into the house. After a moment he crossed the lawn and sat down on the
piazza, calling the dog to him. She would come back soon. Tramp's
head rested on his knee as he stroked it. It was here her hand had
touched it--and here----
The scent of roses was heavy in the sunshine, the bees hummed; he sat
there in a hazy dream, waiting for the door to open and the joy of his
life to begin.
He was dragged roughly enough out of his dream.
Miss Dunbar's landau drove to the door to take her to church. George
looked up, carelessly noting how quiet and perfectly appointed it was,
from the brown liveries of the negro coachman and footman to the
trappings on the black ponies. There were no horses of such high breed
in Delaware. He stood up suddenly, his jaws pale as if he had been
struck. What money there was in it! He had forgotten. She was a
great heiress.
She came out at the moment. He scanned her fiercely, the plain, costly
gown, the ruby blazing on her ungloved hand. Then he glanced down at
his own shabby Sunday suit. She was the richest woman in Delaware, and
he had not a dollar in his pocket, and no way to earn one.
He went up to her, courteously took her hand when she held it out,
blushing and dimpling, bowed to her aunt, saying that he had merely
walked over to put her into her carriage, and, having shut the door,
looked after them, hat in hand, smiling when she glanced shyly back at
him.
Then he laughed loudly. If he had the salary that she paid her negro
driver he would be lucky! And he had meant to marry her. He laughed
again and took his way homeward.